Nature Notes June/July 2026
Date Published: 02-08-2026
Record high temperatures were recorded throughout this period and the South of England was declared a drought area on 29th July, although a hosepipe ban has yet to be announced for Dorset.
SIGHTINGS
Birds (seen/heard): Herring Gulls, Carrion Crows, Magpies, Jackdaw, Buzzard Wood Pigeons, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Sparrowhawk, Siskins, Nuthatch, Stonechat, Dartford Warblers, Tree Pipits, Nightjar, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Robins, Goldcrest, Wren, Dunnocks, Chaffinches, Bullfinches, Coal/Blue/Great/Long-tailed Tits.
Mammals: Grey Squirrels, Brown Rats, Fox, Roe Deer, Hedgehog, Wood Mice, Pipistrelle Bats, Soprano Pipistrelle Bats. Several other Bats species were detected, but yet have to be confirmed with further readings and investigation.
Insects: Flies, Bumble Bees, Solitary Bees, Hornets, Black Ants, Wood Lice, Hover Flies, Wolf Spider, Wasps, Common Field Grasshopper, Crickets, Midges.
Butterflies/Moths: Peacock, Red Admiral, Holly Blue, Speckled Wood, Large White, Brimstone, Meadow Brown, Orange Tip, Silver Studded Blue, Humming Bird Hawk Moth, Species of day flying Moths.
Dragonfly/Damselfly: Small red, Common Blue, Four Spot Chaser, Broad Bodied Chaser, Southern Hawker, Common Darter.
Plants in flower/berry: Low growing Gorse, Blackberry, Rowan, Wild Cherry, Cotton Grass, Ling, Cross-leaved Heath, Bell Heather, Cut-leaved Geranium, Ragwort, Common Broom.
Pond Life: Whirlygig Beetles, Pond Skaters.
Sparrowhawks have been active, leaving evidence of plucked feathers on tree stumps in several locations on site.
Recorders C Wilcox K Wilcox
NATURE FACT
The Sparrowhawk is the smallest UK bird of prey, the male being somewhere between a Blackbird and a Collared Dove in size. The female is larger, up to the size of a feral Pigeon. Sparrowhawks are excellent hunters, catching small species like Finches, Sparrows and Tits, ambushing their prey from a perch, while other times they may fly low, suddenly changing direction to fool it.
